The voice slipped through the air like smoke—low, silken, and edged with a glint of something dangerous. It curled around Alicia's spine, making her freeze mid-step on the gleaming staircase. The warmth of the lights suddenly felt distant, like the last flicker of a fire before the cold reclaimed the room.
Her breath hitched.
She turned her head slowly, heart thudding against her ribs as if trying to claw its way out. The mansion had been silent... too silent. But that voice—it was unmistakable.
The sound was molten velvet, slow and slick with control. It wasn't a question. It was a verdict.
She turned—heart stuttering—and there he stood. Adrien.
